10:5 10:5

John 10:6

10:7 10:7

Bible Versions

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
This {G5026} parable {G3942} spake {G2036} Jesus {G2424} unto them {G846}: but {G1161} they {G1565} understood {G1097} not {G3756} what things {G5101} they were {G2258} which {G3739} he spake {G2980} unto them {G846}.
Yeshua used this indirect manner of speaking with them, but they didn’t understand what he was talking to them about.
Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Context

John 10:6 concludes the initial segment of Jesus' profound discourse regarding the shepherd and the sheep, which began in John 10:1. In the preceding verses, Jesus used metaphors of a sheepfold, a door, and a shepherd calling his own sheep. The phrase "unto them" likely refers to the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders who had been challenging Jesus' authority, particularly after the healing of the blind man in John 9. Their inability to grasp the meaning of Jesus' words highlights their spiritual dullness and resistance to His claims. This lack of comprehension sets the stage for Jesus to further elaborate on His identity and mission from John 10:7 onwards.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Blindness and Lack of Understanding: The verse centrally reveals the listeners' profound inability to understand Jesus' spiritual truths. Despite hearing His words, they failed to grasp the deeper meaning concerning His identity and role as the true Shepherd. This contrasts sharply with the physically blind man in John 9 who, upon being healed, gained spiritual insight into who Jesus was.
  • The Nature of Jesus' Parables: While the KJV uses "parable," the Greek word here is paroimia (παροιμία), which can mean a proverb, a dark saying, or a figure of speech, rather than the more common parabole (παραβολή) used in the Synoptic Gospels. This suggests a deeper, more enigmatic saying that requires spiritual discernment to understand. Jesus often spoke in such ways to reveal truth to those who were receptive and to conceal it from those who were spiritually hardened or unwilling to believe.
  • The Need for Divine Revelation: The listeners' failure to understand underscores that spiritual truths cannot be grasped by mere human intellect alone; they require divine revelation and a receptive heart. Without this, even clear teachings from Jesus remain obscure.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word translated as "parable" in John 10:6 is paroimia (παροιμία). Unlike the more common parabole found in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), which typically refers to a narrative comparison, paroimia often denotes a proverb, an enigmatic saying, or a figure of speech that is obscure or difficult to understand without further explanation. This choice of word by John emphasizes why the listeners "understood not" – Jesus' words were not a simple story but a profound, veiled truth about His divine nature and function, requiring spiritual insight beyond surface-level comprehension.

Practical Application

John 10:6 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of spiritual discernment when engaging with God's Word. Just as Jesus' original audience struggled to understand His profound metaphors, we too can miss the deeper meaning of Scripture if we approach it with hardened hearts or rely solely on intellectual understanding. This verse encourages us to:

  • Seek Deeper Understanding: Not just to read the Bible, but to meditate on its truths and ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance to reveal its spiritual significance.
  • Examine Our Hearts: Our spiritual receptivity plays a crucial role in understanding. Are we willing to believe and obey what God reveals?
  • Recognize Jesus as the Key: All Scripture ultimately points to Christ. A true understanding of God's Word leads to a deeper relationship with Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 56:11

    Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

  • Proverbs 28:5

    ¶ Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all [things].

  • Psalms 82:5

    They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

  • Isaiah 6:9

    ¶ And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

  • Isaiah 6:10

    Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

  • John 16:25

    These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

  • Psalms 106:7

    Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked [him] at the sea, [even] at the Red sea.
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